EDMONTON - Police have confirmed the deaths of six adults and two young children in what Chief Ron Knecht called a "senseless mass murder."
Knecht told a news conference Tuesday that the victims included a woman found Monday night by officers responding to a weapons complaint at a south Edmonton home.
The bodies of three more women, two men, a boy and a girl were discovered a few hours later at a northeast home where officers had checked on reports of a "suicidal male" earlier in the evening.
None of the victims was identified, but Knecht said the public was not in danger.
"This series of events are not believed to be random acts and there is no risk to the broad public. These events do not appear to be gang-related, but rather tragic incidents of domestic violence."
A man matching the description of the suicidal male was found dead in a restaurant in the Edmonton bedroom community of Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday morning, Knecht said.
"It was established that a restaurant in that location was related to the suicidal male sought in the second homicide location," the chief said.
"This morning ... RCMP were able to establish that a male was found deceased at the restaurant location from what appeared to be an apparent suicide."
Knecht went on to confirm that the man found dead in the restaurant "is in fact the same male that police have been attempting to locate since 8:28 p.m. (Monday)."
"Our homicide investigators have established associations and linkages between these homicides."
The investigation is complex and fluid at this point, he added.
News Talk 610 CKTB :: Edmonton police confirm 8 victims in what chief calls 'senseless mass murder' :: National News Article
Knecht told a news conference Tuesday that the victims included a woman found Monday night by officers responding to a weapons complaint at a south Edmonton home.
The bodies of three more women, two men, a boy and a girl were discovered a few hours later at a northeast home where officers had checked on reports of a "suicidal male" earlier in the evening.
None of the victims was identified, but Knecht said the public was not in danger.
"This series of events are not believed to be random acts and there is no risk to the broad public. These events do not appear to be gang-related, but rather tragic incidents of domestic violence."
A man matching the description of the suicidal male was found dead in a restaurant in the Edmonton bedroom community of Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday morning, Knecht said.
"It was established that a restaurant in that location was related to the suicidal male sought in the second homicide location," the chief said.
"This morning ... RCMP were able to establish that a male was found deceased at the restaurant location from what appeared to be an apparent suicide."
Knecht went on to confirm that the man found dead in the restaurant "is in fact the same male that police have been attempting to locate since 8:28 p.m. (Monday)."
"Our homicide investigators have established associations and linkages between these homicides."
The investigation is complex and fluid at this point, he added.
News Talk 610 CKTB :: Edmonton police confirm 8 victims in what chief calls 'senseless mass murder' :: National News Article
